Italy Condemns Spain's Border Checks After 72,000-Migrant Ceuta Surge
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 9
Italy Condemns Spain's Border Checks After 72,000-Migrant Ceuta Surge
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 9
Summary
Antonio Tajani called Spain's midnight spot checks on travelers from Italy “completely unacceptable,” escalating a bilateral row that is now disrupting passenger movement between the two EU countries.
Spain imposed the checks after Rome began controls on Aug. 1 in response to the influx of about 72,000 people into Ceuta, though Madrid says the enclave was already back under control and is outside Schengen.
Tajani defended Italy's move as border protection, citing online calls for a new mid-August crossing and warning some migrants could hold jihadist views, while saying Rome could lift controls once the risk fades.
More than 8 million people used the Italy-Spain route last year, and travelers plus Italian opposition politicians have criticized the tit-for-tat measures as a self-inflicted diplomatic crisis.
EU migration commissioner Magnus Brunner said both sides described the controls as temporary, underscoring how migration tensions are straining EU unity even as the issue ranks below living costs and security in recent polling.